CenterPeak
CenterPeak is a premier retained legal search firm placing lateral partners, practice groups, and rainmakers at AmLaw 50/100 law firms across the US and London, with founders crediting over 2,000 partner placements and 50+ office openings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CenterPeak does
CenterPeak is a US-based legal search and recruiting firm specializing in strategic partner and practice group placements for elite law firms. The firm was formed in September 2024 through the merger of Johnson Downie (founded 2007 by Clint Johnson) and Lippman Jungers (founded 2011 by Mark Jungers), and operates from approximately ten offices across New York, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Boston. The company is led by Clint Johnson (CEO/President/Board Chair), Sabina Lippman (Firmwide Managing Partner, ~700 lifetime partner placements), and Mark Jungers (Chief Strategy Officer), supported by an Executive Committee and a bench of 16+ senior partners and managing directors.
The firm's core offering is retained executive search for the legal industry, with a singular focus on placing lateral partners, practice groups, and rainmakers into AmLaw 50/100 firms. The firm also advises on and facilitates office openings and practice acquisitions for elite law firms. According to company materials, founders have collectively placed over 2,000 partners and opened more than 50 offices for AmLaw 50 firms, with combined practice originations valued in the billions of dollars. Named clients include Sidley Austin, Paul Hastings, Davis Polk, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Ballard Spahr, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, Paul Weiss, and DLA Piper. The firm also operates a dedicated government practice placing former DOJ, SEC, FTC, CFTC, and FDA attorneys into private practice.
The business model is professional services revenue from retained search engagements and success-based placement fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is exclusively sales-led and high-touch, with the firm positioning itself as a collaborative, team-based partner to law firm leadership rather than a transactional recruiter. There is no proprietary technology platform; the firm distributes thought leadership through PR placements in Bloomberg Law, Law.com, The American Lawyer, and Financial Times, and through its content-rich corporate website. CenterPeak is privately held by its founding partners with no disclosed external institutional, private equity, or venture capital backing.
CenterPeak firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CenterPeak
- Legal name
- CenterPeak LLC
- Website
- https://centerpeak.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CenterPeak is a premier retained legal search firm placing lateral partners, practice groups, and rainmakers at AmLaw 50/100 law firms across the US and London, with founders crediting over 2,000 partner placements and 50+ office openings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CenterPeak industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Recruiting and Executive Search
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)
Keywords
Where CenterPeak is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
CenterPeak business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Legal Search and Placement Services: CenterPeak generates revenue through retained search engagements and successful placements of lateral partners and practice groups at elite law firms. As a premium legal recruiting firm, they work on exclusive, retained engagements with AmLaw firms for strategic partner acquisitions, office openings, and practice group expansions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
CenterPeak product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CenterPeak is a retained executive search firm that identifies, evaluates, and places lateral partners, entire practice groups, and rainmakers at elite AmLaw 50/100 law firms. The firm also advises law firm leadership on new office openings, mergers, and strategic growth initiatives. Engagements are conducted by senior recruiters working collaboratively across offices in New York, London, California, Washington D.C., Texas, Chicago, Miami, and Boston.
Product overview
CenterPeak is a premier legal search and recruiting firm that provides strategic partner and practice group placements for elite law firms. The firm specializes in lateral partner recruiting, office openings, and group acquisitions for AmLaw 50 firms. CenterPeak offers a unified service offering centered on strategic expansion and high-impact partner placements, delivered through a collaborative team-based model across multiple global markets including New York, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Miami, and Boston.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Partner and Practice Group Placements Retained executive search service for placing lateral partners and entire practice groups at AmLaw 50/100 law firms. Engagements are exclusive and conducted on a retained basis, with senior recruiters deployed to identify, evaluate, and close high-value placements for firm leadership. The service combines partner and practice group placements with cultural fit assessment, compensation analysis, and confidential client relationship transition support.
- Office Opening and Market Expansion Services Advisory and recruiting service for law firms launching new offices or expanding into new markets. CenterPeak partners with firm leadership to identify location strategy, source initial partner teams, and staff practice launches. The firm has opened more than 50 offices for AmLaw 50 firms, including AmLaw firm entries into Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, and London.
- Government Attorney Placement and Transition Services Specialized placement service for high-profile former government attorneys from DOJ, SEC, FTC, CFTC, FDA, and various Cabinet Departments transitioning to private practice at elite law firms. Led by Jeffrey Lowe, Market President of Washington, DC.
- Transatlantic Legal Recruiting (London) Cross-border partner and practice group placement service connecting U.S. AmLaw firms with London and European legal talent, and vice versa. Operates from the London office at Heron Tower in the City financial district and serves as a gateway between U.S. and global legal markets.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,000 partners placed at elite law firms
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CenterPeak
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CenterPeak technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CenterPeak partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CenterPeak competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Major, Lindsey & Africa: Major, Lindsey & Africa is the most direct competitor to CenterPeak, with a similarly specialized focus on legal partner and practice group placements. MLA is also a leading source of senior recruiters poached by CenterPeak (e.g., Sabina Lippman, Mark Jungers, Jeffrey Lowe, Avery Ellis, Jennifer Moss, Meredith Frank, Josh Dull) and competes head-to-head for the same AmLaw 50 mandates.
- SSQ: SSQ is a UK-headquartered legal search firm specializing in partner and practice group placements in the London market. It is the most direct competitor to CenterPeak's newly opened London office and serves many of the same Magic Circle and international law firm clients.
- Buchanan Law Recruitment: Buchanan Law is a London-based legal search firm specializing in partner and team placements across UK, US, and international law firms. It directly competes with CenterPeak in the London market and for cross-border AmLaw-UK firm mandates.
- Leighton Taylor Executive Search: Leighton Taylor is a UK-based executive search firm focused on partner-level legal recruitment, serving UK and international law firms. It competes directly with CenterPeak's London office for senior partner placements in the European market.
- BCG Attorney Search: BCG Attorney Search is one of the largest legal recruiting firms in the US, placing partners, associates, and groups across AmLaw and boutique firms. While it has a different scale and segment focus than CenterPeak, it competes for lateral partner placements and practice group moves.
- Lateral Link: Lateral Link is a US-based legal search firm that places partners and groups at major law firms and in-house legal departments. It competes with CenterPeak for AmLaw 50 lateral partner mandates and has a national footprint across major US legal markets.
Broad incumbents
- Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search firm with a dedicated Legal, Risk, & Compliance practice that competes for senior law firm partner placements. While broader in scope (serving CEO, board, and functional leadership), it overlaps meaningfully with CenterPeak in AmLaw 50 partner recruiting and is recognized as a competitor for senior legal mandates.
- Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a global executive search firm with a Legal, Compliance & Government practice that places partners and general counsel at elite law firms and in-house. As a broad incumbent, it competes with CenterPeak on certain AmLaw 50 partner searches and cross-border legal leadership mandates.
- Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global executive search firm with a Legal practice serving law firms, corporate legal departments, and partners considering transitions. It competes with CenterPeak at the senior-partner and practice-group leadership level, particularly for international and cross-border legal mandates.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds Associates is a global executive search firm with a Legal and Global Law practice that places partners, practice leaders, and general counsel. It competes with CenterPeak for senior partner mandates and office-opening searches at major AmLaw firms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CenterPeak social profiles
Digital presenceCenterPeak financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CenterPeak leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
CenterPeak funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CenterPeak M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CenterPeak
What does CenterPeak do?
CenterPeak is a retained executive search firm that identifies, evaluates, and places lateral partners, entire practice groups, and rainmakers at elite AmLaw 50/100 law firms. The firm also advises law firm leadership on new office openings, mergers, and strategic growth initiatives. Engagements are conducted by senior recruiters working collaboratively across offices in New York, London, California, Washington D.C., Texas, Chicago, Miami, and Boston.
Is CenterPeak a public or private company?
CenterPeak is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CenterPeak founded?
CenterPeak was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CenterPeak based?
CenterPeak is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does CenterPeak make money?
One revenue line is on record: legal Search and Placement Services.
Who are CenterPeak's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Major, Lindsey & Africa, SSQ, Buchanan Law Recruitment, Leighton Taylor Executive Search, BCG Attorney Search and Lateral Link. Broad incumbents are Heidrick & Struggles, Spencer Stuart, Egon Zehnder and Russell Reynolds Associates.
Does CenterPeak have an API?
No public API is recorded for CenterPeak.
What industry is CenterPeak in?
CenterPeak's product category is Legal Recruiting and Executive Search. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAA, C-Suite & Board Search. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 8742.